In a rare long-form interview, Vice President Kamala Harris spoke to “Call Her Daddy” host and “founding father” Alex Cooper for a podcast episode released Sunday.
Over the course of 40 minutes, the two covered topics ranging from abortion access and economic proposals to Harris’ relationship with her mother. At the outset, Cooper reveals she was told “no topic was off limits,” allowing for a wide range discussion of important issues for her audience — the so-called “Daddy Gang” — and more generally, young women in America.
Harris has been criticized for her lack of media appearances, particularly long-form interviews. This appearance is the first of many this week, as she’s slated for 60 Minutes, Howard Stern’s radio show, “The View” and “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert.
As Cooper herself states, she is “not CNN [or] FOX,” and “Call Her Daddy” is not a typical platform for a presidential candidate to appear on. Her podcast started in 2018, primarily discussing sex and relationships, but has since matured — known for hosting celebrities in a comfortable, casual setting, through which she has developed a friendly, conversational style.
“Let’s be real, I’m probably not the one to be having the fracking conversation,” Cooper said in a disclaimer clip that preceded her complete interview with Harris. “But the conversation I know I am qualified to have is the one surrounding women’s bodies and how we are treated and valued in this country.”
Cooper noted that she reached out to Donald Trump about appearing on her podcast, as she is aware that this is not “a one-sided conversation,” and her audience is of mixed political partisanship. She even goes as far as to extend an additional invite to Trump: “If he also wants to have a meaningful, in-depth conversation about womens’ rights in this country, then he is welcome on ‘Call Her Daddy’ anytime.”
One of many striking moments during the conversation between Cooper and Harris was the discussion of abortion access. Harris revealed she was the first vice president or president to have ever visited a reproductive healthcare clinic.
“It’s about IVF treatments and access…access to contraception, which is very much at risk,” Harris said. “You know what those clinics also do? They do paps, they do breast cancer screenings, they do HIV testing and they’re having to close in many places with these bans.”
The vice president recounted a “heartbreaking” conversation with the mother and sisters of Amber Thurman, a woman who died after doctors delayed treatment out of fear they would be prosecuted under Georgia’s abortion restrictions. The two discussed exceptions to abortion bans, which often include to save the life of the mother. In Thurman’s case, it wasn’t enough. Harris said this life of the mother exception means “public health policy that says a doctor, a medical professional, waits until you’re at death’s door before they give you care… where is the humanity?”
When asked about former President Donald Trump’s comments claiming democrats support late-term or even after-birth abortions in their recent debate, Harris said, “this guy is full of lies.” She says words matter, and that she’s always been aware of this.
“As a prosecutor, I understood that the words that I spoke and what I did with those words would be the difference between whether somebody was charged with a crime or went to prison,” Harris said. And later, as Attorney General, “that the words I spoke could move markets.”
She also criticized Trump’s running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, for his comments about “childless cat ladies.” Harris, herself a stepmother, said she felt it was a mean-spirited sentiment. She pushed back against comments made by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders last month about Harris’ lack of biological children: “This is not the 1950s anymore. Families come in all kinds of shapes and forms and they’re family nonetheless.”
Harris intends to support families through a number of policies she mentioned at the end of the interview, ranging from child tax credit, to $25,000 in downpayment assistance for first-time home buyers.
Harris’ appearance on “Call Her Daddy” was a chance to speak directly to the young women of America, and she did so by leaning on personal experience. As a young woman, she was vocal in her support of a friend who was experiencing sexual assault at home. As a prosecutor, she gave a voice to victims who were powerless. Now, as a presidential hopeful, her message is this: “I urge all the Daddy Gang, don’t hear ‘no’… it’s really important not to let other people define you.”